Antenna detection method, apparatus, device, and storage medium

This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2022/114944, filed on Aug. 25, 2022, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202111052444.6, filed on Sep. 8, 2021. The disclosures of the aforementioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

This application relates to the field of communication technologies, and in particular, to an antenna detection method, an apparatus, a device, and a storage medium.

In some communication systems, for example, a 5th generation mobile communication system (5G), with continuous development of the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology, the massive antenna (massive MIMO) technology and even the extremely large aperture array (ELAA) will be used more widely. In this scenario, both a network device and a terminal device need to perform information communication through a full-array antenna. Consequently, it is more complex for the network device and the terminal device to process a baseband signal, and information communication efficiency is reduced.

Embodiments of this application provide an antenna detection method, an apparatus, a device, and a storage medium, to make baseband signal processing less complex, and improve information communication efficiency.

According to a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an antenna detection method, including: A first terminal device sends a first detection signal. The first detection signal is used to determine at least one first antenna sub-array corresponding to the first terminal device. A plurality of antenna sub-arrays of a network device include the at least one first antenna sub-array. A time interval at which the first detection signal is sent is related to spatial non-stationary coherence time. The first terminal device obtains first information. The first information indicates to perform information transmission through the at least one first antenna sub-array corresponding to the first terminal device.

According to the antenna detection method provided in the first aspect, the first terminal device determines the at least one first antenna sub-array that is in the plurality of antenna sub-arrays and corresponds to the first terminal device, so that the network device and the first terminal device perform information transmission based on the corresponding at least one first antenna sub-array. In this way, it is less complex for the first terminal device to process a baseband signal, and information communication efficiency is improved.

Further, in an embodiment of this application, the first terminal device performs detection on the plurality of antenna sub-arrays of the network device based on the first detection signal related to the spatial non-stationary coherence time, to determine the corresponding at least one first antenna sub-array. In this way, a detection cycle for antenna detection is not limited by channel coherence time, and the detection cycle for antenna detection is more flexible and controllable.

In a possible implementation, the time interval at which the first detection signal is sent is shorter than the spatial non-stationary coherence time.

According to the antenna detection method provided in this implementation, antenna detection is performed within the spatial non-stationary coherence time, so that the at least one first antenna sub-array currently corresponding to the first terminal device may be obtained in time.

However, if the time interval at which the first detection signal is sent is longer than the spatial non-stationary coherence time, it indicates that a transmission frequency of the first detection signal is lower than a change rate of spatial non-stationarity, and when the at least one first antenna sub-array corresponding to the first terminal device changes, at least one changed first antenna sub-array cannot be learned in time.

In a possible implementation, the first information includes a matching matrix. The matching matrix indicates at least one first antenna sub-array that is in the plurality of antenna sub-arrays and corresponds to each of n terminal devices. The n terminal devices include the first terminal device. The matching matrix includes a plurality of matching elements. The matching element indicates a degree of matching between an iterminal device in the n terminal devices and a second antenna sub-array in the plurality of antenna sub-arrays. The second antenna sub-array is one of the plurality of antenna sub-arrays. n is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and i is an integer less than or equal to n and greater than or equal to 1.

According to the antenna detection method provided in this implementation, the first terminal device obtains the matching matrix, to obtain degrees of matching, indicated by the matching matrix, between each terminal device and each antenna sub-array. In one aspect, the first terminal device may quickly and accurately determine the at least one first antenna sub-array matching each terminal device that performs information transmission with the network device, and then may perform information transmission with the network device through the at least one first antenna sub-array corresponding to the first terminal device. In this way, it is less complex for the first terminal device to process a baseband signal, and processing efficiency is improved. In another aspect, the first terminal device may determine terminal devices that reuse each antenna sub-array of the network device, in other words, determine a reuse status of each antenna sub-array, so that the first terminal device may perform, based on the reuse status of each antenna sub-array, information communication in which signals (for example, SRS signals) transmitted and/or received by terminal devices that do not reuse an antenna sub-arrays may be signals with a same sequence, in comparison with information communication in a full-array antenna scenario. This reduces signaling overheads.

In a possible implementation, the degree of matching is related to signal strength of first detection signal obtained by the second antenna sub-array. The matching element indicates signal strength of the first detection signal obtained by the second antenna sub-array, the matching element indicates a result of comparison between signal strength of the first detection signal obtained by the second antenna sub-array and a first threshold, or the matching element indicates results of comparison between signal strength of the first detection signal obtained by the second antenna sub-array and a plurality of threshold ranges.

According to the antenna detection method provided in this implementation, higher signal strength of the first detection signal obtained by the second antenna sub-array indicates a higher degree of matching between the second antenna sub-array and the iterminal device. In this way, a degree of matching indicated by a matching element in the matching matrix is more accurate.

In a possible implementation, the matching element indicates the signal strength of the first detection signal received by the second antenna sub-array. When the matching element is greater than or equal to a second threshold, the second antenna sub-array is the first antenna sub-array that performs information transmission with the terminal device.

According to the antenna detection method provided in this implementation, the degree of matching, indicated by the matching element in the matching matrix, between the iterminal device and the second antenna sub-array is more accurate. The first terminal device may obtain the matching matrix, to accurately obtain a degree of matching between each terminal device and each second antenna sub-array. In this way, the first antenna sub-array determined based on the second threshold matches the first terminal device better.

In a possible implementation, when the signal strength of the first detection signal is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the matching element is a first character. The first character indicates that the second antenna sub-array is the first antenna sub-array that performs information transmission with the terminal device. Alternatively, when the signal strength of the first detection signal is less than the first threshold, the matching element is a second character. The second character indicates that the second antenna sub-array is not the first antenna sub-array that performs information transmission with the terminal device.

According to the antenna detection method provided in this implementation, the matching element in the matching matrix may explicitly indicate whether the second antenna sub-array is the first antenna sub-array corresponding to the iterminal device. Both the network device and the iterminal device may quickly identify, based on the matching matrix, at least one first antenna sub-array corresponding to each terminal device. This improves processing efficiency

In a possible implementation, the plurality of threshold ranges one-to-one correspond to a plurality of degrees of matching. The matching element is a character corresponding to a threshold range within which the signal strength of the first detection signal falls. The character corresponding to the threshold range indicates a degree of matching corresponding to the threshold range.

Compared with a solution in which the matching matrix indicates a result of comparison between the signal strength of the first detection signal received by the second antenna sub-array and the first threshold, the antenna detection method provided in this implementation enables the matching matrix to indicate a degree of finer-granularity matching, to improve accuracy with which the first information indicates a degree of matching between one second antenna sub-array and the first terminal device. Compared with the matching matrix indicating the signal strength of the first detection signal received by the second antenna sub-array, the matching matrix in this implementation makes it easier for the first terminal device to determine the first antenna sub-array corresponding to the first terminal device. This improves processing efficiency.

In a possible implementation, the character corresponding to the threshold range is a preset value or is greater than or equal to a preset value. The second antenna sub-array corresponding to the matching element is the first antenna sub-array that performs information transmission with the terminal device.

According to the antenna detection method provided in this implementation, when the character corresponding to the matching element is the preset value or is greater than or equal to the preset value, the first terminal device determines that the second antenna sub-array is the first antenna sub-array corresponding to the first terminal device. In this way, the first antenna sub-array is accurately identified.

In a possible implementation, the first information includes a channel sounding reference signal SRS sequence set. The SRS sequence set is determined based on the at least one first antenna sub-array corresponding separately to the n terminal devices. The n terminal devices include the first terminal device. n is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

According to the antenna detection method provided in this implementation, the first terminal device may obtain the SRS sequence set by obtaining the first information sent by the network device. The SRS sequence set may support the first terminal device to perform information transmission with the network device through the at least one corresponding first antenna sub-array. The first terminal device does not need to generate the SRS sequence. This improves processing efficiency

In a possible implementation, the method further includes: The first terminal device sends a first SRS sequence to the network device. The first SRS sequence is determined based on the first information.

According to the antenna detection method provided in this implementation, the first SRS sequence is applicable to information communication between the first terminal device and the network device through the at least one first antenna sub-array. Compared with information communication through the full-array antenna of the network device, the information communication using the first SRS sequence reduces pilot overheads.

In a possible implementation, at least time-domain resources, frequency-domain resources, or code-domain resources for sending first detection signals respectively by the n terminal devices are orthogonal to each other.

According to the antenna detection method provided in this implementation, the pilot overheads may be further reduced.

According to a second aspect, embodiments of this application provide an antenna detection method, including: A network device obtains, through a plurality of antenna sub-arrays, a first detection signal sent by an iterminal device in n terminal devices. The first detection signal is used to determine at least one first antenna sub-array corresponding to the iterminal device. The plurality of antenna sub-arrays include the at least one first antenna sub-array. A time interval at which the first detection signal is sent is related to spatial non-stationary coherence time. n is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and i is an integer less than or equal to n and greater than or equal to 1. The network device sends first information to the iterminal device. The first information indicates to perform information transmission through the at least one first antenna sub-array corresponding to the iterminal device.

In a possible implementation, the time interval at which the first detection signal is sent is shorter than the spatial non-stationary coherence time.

In a possible implementation, the first information includes a matching matrix. The matching matrix indicates at least one first antenna sub-array that is in the plurality of antenna sub-arrays and corresponds to each of the n terminal devices. The matching matrix includes a plurality of matching elements. Each of the plurality of matching elements indicates a degree of matching between an iterminal device and a second antenna sub-array in the plurality of antenna sub-arrays. The second antenna sub-array is one of the plurality of antenna sub-arrays.

In a possible implementation, the degree of matching is related to signal strength of first detection signal obtained by the second antenna sub-array. The matching element indicates signal strength of the first detection signal obtained by the second antenna sub-array, the matching element indicates a result of comparison between signal strength of the first detection signal obtained by the second antenna sub-array and a first threshold, or the matching element indicates results of comparison between signal strength of the first detection signal obtained by the second antenna sub-array and a plurality of threshold ranges.

In a possible implementation, the matching element indicates the signal strength of the first detection signal obtained by the second antenna sub-array. When the matching element is greater than or equal to a second threshold, the second antenna sub-array is the first antenna sub-array that performs information transmission with the terminal device.

In a possible implementation, when the signal strength of the first detection signal is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the matching element is a first character. The first character indicates that the second antenna sub-array is the first antenna sub-array that performs information transmission with the terminal device. Alternatively, when the signal strength of the first detection signal is less than the first threshold, the matching element is a second character. The second character indicates that the second antenna sub-array is not the first antenna sub-array that performs information transmission with the terminal device.

In a possible implementation, the plurality of threshold ranges one-to-one correspond to a plurality of degrees of matching. The matching element is a character corresponding to a threshold range within which the signal strength of the first detection signal falls. The character corresponding to the threshold range indicates a degree of matching corresponding to the threshold range.

In a possible implementation, the character corresponding to the threshold range is a preset value or is greater than a preset value. The antenna sub-array corresponding to the matching element is the first antenna sub-array that performs information transmission with the terminal device.

In a possible implementation, the first information includes an SRS sequence set. The SRS sequence set is determined based on the at least one first antenna sub-array corresponding separately to the n terminal devices.

In a possible implementation, the method further includes: The network device receives, through the at least one first antenna sub-array corresponding to the iterminal device in the n terminal devices, a first SRS sequence sent by the terminal device. The first SRS sequence is determined based on the first information.

In a possible implementation, at least time-domain resources, frequency-domain resources, or code-domain resources for sending first detection signals respectively by the n terminal devices are orthogonal to each other.

For beneficial effects of the antenna detection method provided in the second aspect and the possible implementations of the second aspect, refer to the beneficial effects achieved by the first aspect and the possible implementations of the first aspect. Details are not described again.

According to a third aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication apparatus, including: a transceiver unit, configured to send a first detection signal, where the first detection signal is used to determine at least one first antenna sub-array corresponding to a first terminal device, a plurality of antenna sub-arrays of a network device include the at least one first antenna sub-array, a time interval at which the first detection signal is sent is related to spatial non-stationary coherence time, and the transceiver unit is further configured to obtain first information, where the first information indicates to perform information transmission through the at least one first antenna sub-array corresponding to the first terminal device; and a processing unit, configured to determine the at least one first antenna sub-array based on the first information.

In a possible implementation, the time interval at which the first detection signal is sent is shorter than the spatial non-stationary coherence time.

In a possible implementation, the first information includes a matching matrix. The matching matrix indicates at least one first antenna sub-array that is in the plurality of antenna sub-arrays and corresponds to each of n terminal devices. The n terminal devices include the first terminal device. The matching matrix includes a plurality of matching elements. Each of the plurality of matching elements indicates a degree of matching between an iterminal device in the n terminal devices and a second antenna sub-array in the plurality of antenna sub-arrays. The second antenna sub-array is one of the plurality of antenna sub-arrays. n is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and i is an integer less than or equal to n and greater than or equal to 1.

In a possible implementation, the degree of matching is related to signal strength of first detection signal obtained by the second antenna sub-array. The matching element indicates signal strength of the first detection signal obtained by the second antenna sub-array, the matching element indicates a result of comparison between signal strength of the first detection signal obtained by the second antenna sub-array and a first threshold, or the matching element indicates results of comparison between signal strength of the first detection signal obtained by the second antenna sub-array and a plurality of threshold ranges.

In a possible implementation, the matching element indicates the signal strength of the first detection signal received by the second antenna sub-array. When the matching element is greater than or equal to a second threshold, the second antenna sub-array is the first antenna sub-array that performs information transmission with the terminal device.

In a possible implementation, when the signal strength of the first detection signal is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the matching element is a first character. The first character indicates that the second antenna sub-array is the first antenna sub-array that performs information transmission with the terminal device. Alternatively, when the signal strength of the first detection signal is less than the first threshold, the matching element is a second character. The second character indicates that the second antenna sub-array is not the first antenna sub-array that performs information transmission with the terminal device.

In a possible implementation, the plurality of threshold ranges one-to-one correspond to a plurality of degrees of matching. The matching element is a character corresponding to a threshold range within which the signal strength of the first detection signal falls. The character corresponding to the threshold range indicates a degree of matching corresponding to the threshold range.

In a possible implementation, the first information includes a channel sounding reference signal SRS sequence set. The SRS sequence set is determined based on the at least one first antenna sub-array corresponding separately to the n terminal devices. The n terminal devices include the first terminal device. n is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

In a possible implementation, the transceiver unit is further configured to send a first SRS sequence to the network device. The first SRS sequence is determined based on the first information.

For beneficial effects of the communication apparatus provided in the third aspect and the possible implementations of the third aspect, refer to the beneficial effects achieved by the first aspect and the possible implementations of the first aspect. Details are not described again.